Austin Reiterates US Commitment to Egypt’s, Middle East Security

File photo: US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin speaks during a meeting with Canadian Defense Minister William Blair at the Pentagon on May 13, 2024, in Washington, DC. (Photo by Drew ANGERER / AFP)
File photo: US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin speaks during a meeting with Canadian Defense Minister William Blair at the Pentagon on May 13, 2024, in Washington, DC. (Photo by Drew ANGERER / AFP)
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Austin Reiterates US Commitment to Egypt’s, Middle East Security

File photo: US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin speaks during a meeting with Canadian Defense Minister William Blair at the Pentagon on May 13, 2024, in Washington, DC. (Photo by Drew ANGERER / AFP)
File photo: US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin speaks during a meeting with Canadian Defense Minister William Blair at the Pentagon on May 13, 2024, in Washington, DC. (Photo by Drew ANGERER / AFP)

US Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin reiterated to his Egyptian counterpart the US commitment to the Middle East and Egyptian security in the face of regional threats.
A statement released by the US Department of Defense on Tuesday said that Austin “spoke with Egypt's Minister of Defense, General Mohamed Zaki, today to discuss regional challenges and our deep bilateral security cooperation".
“Secretary Austin reiterated US commitment to the Middle East and Egyptian security in the face of regional threats and expressed appreciation for Egypt's leadership in preventing the spread of the current conflict and in providing humanitarian assistance to the people of Gaza", added the statement.



Iraq to Resume Flights to Lebanon on Monday, Transport Minister Says

A view from the window of a Lebanese Middle East Airlines (MEA) airplane shows an Iraqi Airways airplane docked after resuming flights to Lebanon, after the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hezbollah took effect, at Beirut-Rafik Hariri International Airport, in Beirut, Lebanon, December 4, 2024. (Reuters)
A view from the window of a Lebanese Middle East Airlines (MEA) airplane shows an Iraqi Airways airplane docked after resuming flights to Lebanon, after the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hezbollah took effect, at Beirut-Rafik Hariri International Airport, in Beirut, Lebanon, December 4, 2024. (Reuters)
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Iraq to Resume Flights to Lebanon on Monday, Transport Minister Says

A view from the window of a Lebanese Middle East Airlines (MEA) airplane shows an Iraqi Airways airplane docked after resuming flights to Lebanon, after the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hezbollah took effect, at Beirut-Rafik Hariri International Airport, in Beirut, Lebanon, December 4, 2024. (Reuters)
A view from the window of a Lebanese Middle East Airlines (MEA) airplane shows an Iraqi Airways airplane docked after resuming flights to Lebanon, after the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hezbollah took effect, at Beirut-Rafik Hariri International Airport, in Beirut, Lebanon, December 4, 2024. (Reuters)

Iraq will allow the national carrier to resume flights to Lebanon on Monday following their suspension earlier this month, the transport minister was quoted as saying by state media on Saturday.

Iraqi Airways halted flights to Lebanon on Dec. 8 due to security concerns about the situation in neighboring Syria.

Syrian rebels seized control of Damascus on Dec. 8, forcing President Bashar al-Assad to flee to Russia after more than 13 years of civil war and ending his family's decades-long rule.